# US 9,994,927 B2 · Lightweight boron tubular structure support integrated into seat structure

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- Number: US 9,994,927 B2
- Document ID: US9994927B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/722,861
- Filed: 2015-05-27
- Published: 2016-08-18
- Granted: 2018-06-12
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-12
- Assignees: L & W Engineering
- Applicants: L & W Engineering
- Inventors: Jim Wines; Joshua Forquer; Jason Bigelow
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9994927B2

## CPC

- C21D 9/085: {Cooling or quenching}
- B60N 2/68: Seat frames
- C21D 6/005: {containing Mn}
- C22C 38/32: with boron
- C22C 38/38: with more than 1.5% by weight of manganese
- C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B)
- B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)

## Abstract

A support may include a hollow metallic tube having two opposing ends and a body extending over a longitudinal axis of the tube. The tube may have a steel composition that may include, by weight, the following concentrations: approximately 0.19 to 0.27% carbon; approximately 0.0005% to 0.004% boron; approximately 1.5% to 2.5% manganese; and less than or equal to approximately 0.35% chromium, the balance including iron and inevitable impurities.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A support, comprising:
a hollow metallic tube having two opposing ends and a body extending over a longitudinal axis of the tube, wherein the tube has a steel composition consisting of, by weight percentage:
approximately 0.19 to 0.27% carbon;
approximately 0.0005% to 0.004% boron;
approximately 1.5% to 2.5% manganese;
less than or equal to approximately 0.35% chromium; and
a balance of iron and inevitable impurities.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein the tube has a yield strength of 1170-1300 MPa.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein the tube has a tensile strength greater than 1475 MPa.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein the tube has an elongation of at least 10%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein the tube has a specific strength of 180-195 kN·m/kg.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein the steel composition has a predominately martensitic microstructure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein the tube is integrated into a seat frame.

### Claim 8

A support integrated into a seat structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a hollow metallic tube having two opposing ends and a body extending over a longitudinal axis of the tube, wherein the tube is composed of an austenitized steel material having a predominately martensite microstructure and has a composition consisting of, by weight percentage:
approximately 0.19% to 0.27% carbon;
approximately 0.0005% to 0.004% boron;
approximately 1.5% to 2.5% manganese;
less than or equal to about 0.35% chromium; and
the balance including iron and inevitable impurities.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The support of claim 8, wherein the tube includes at least one curvature bending the body in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The support of claim 8, wherein the tube includes a yield strength of 1170-1300 MPa.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The support of claim 8, wherein the tube includes a tensile strength greater than 1475 MPa.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The support of claim 8, wherein the tube includes an elongation of at least 10%.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The support of claim 8, wherein the tube has a specific strength of 180-195 kN·m/kg.

### Claim 14

A process for producing a tubular support for a vehicle seat, comprising:
providing a steel composition consisting of, by weight percentage, elements in the following concentrations:
approximately 0.19% to 0.27% carbon,
approximately 0.0005% to 0.004% boron,
approximately 1.5% to 2.5% manganese,
less than or equal to about 0.35% chromium, the balance including iron and inevitable impurities;
heating the steel composition to an austenitizing temperature for a predetermined duration to austenitize the steel composition; and
cooling the austenitized steel composition at a predefined cooling rate to transform the austenitic steel composition to a martensite microstructure, wherein the predefined cooling rate is greater than 27 K/s.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14, wherein the predefined cooling rate is about 100 K/s or greater.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14, wherein the austenitizing temperature ranges from 850 to 970° C.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14, wherein the predetermined duration ranges from 10 to 18 seconds.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14, further comprising tempering the steel composition at a predetermined tempering temperature for a predetermined tempering duration, wherein the predetermined tempering temperature ranges from 220 to 400° C.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14, wherein the steel composition includes at least one of the following:
a yield strength of 1170-1300 MPa;
a tensile strength greater than 1475 MPa;
an elongation of at least 10%; and
a specific strength of 180-195 kN·m/kg.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14, wherein the steel composition has a critical cooling rate of 27 K/s.